


The way of the fist (to your face)

by Culut_camia



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:09:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28948713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Culut_camia/pseuds/Culut_camia
Summary: Johnny didn't stop hitting him after the tournament, although this time it was Daniel's fault alone.(It wasn't California's rules he didn't understand, but Johnny Lawrence's.)Drabbles
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 55
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Adely_sensei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adely_sensei/gifts).



> (Remarks and corrections are welcome.)

**The way of the fist (to your face)**

**For Adely_Sensei**

**:**

**:**

**:**

**1.**

Johnny didn't stop hitting him after the tournament, although this time the fault was Daniel's alone. The victory put him in a bubble of confidence that, coupled with his usual ego, was bound to blow up in his face sooner or later.

He thought that being the champion made him untouchable, and now that Kreese had legal problems and Johnny, as well as some of his peers, had left Cobra Kai, he was sure that everyone would respect him. So when he arrived at school after the holidays and found Johnny staring at him from his usual spot in the parking lot, he couldn't resist the urge to stop and say:

“You're welcome.”

The usual group gathered around Johnny turned to look at him as Johnny frowned.

“What?”

“Your nose. I left it better than it was.”

Two seconds passed between Johnny understanding what he was saying and jumping off the bike where he was still sitting. The moment he saw Johnny get off the vehicle, confidence left Daniel and in its place, an old fear reappeared.

He broke into a run with Johnny following close behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**:**

**:**

**:**

**2.**

He learned the difference between a tournament and life.

Tournaments had rules, one knew the areas where the opponent was going to hit and was prepared to protect them, in addition, they had to measure the strength of the blows or they would be disqualified -like Bobby- which nobody wanted. In life, on the other hand, there were no rules. You could hit as hard as you wanted and where you wanted, because apparently the schools in California were like a wrestling ring without a referee.

That's what he realized when Johnny caught up with him - hardly unexpected considering Daniel still had the orthopedic boot on -, grabbed him from behind and dragged him into the nearest bathroom, tossing him against the wall. He pinned his elbow against Daniel's slender neck and held him there. The two-month lull, the tournament victory and the following holidays had dulled the memory of how terrifying it was to be at the mercy of Johnny Lawrence; the kid outmatched him in height and muscle mass, he could lift Daniel like a doll if he wanted to.

“You think you're funny, LaRusso? You want me to return the favor?” He raised a fist aimed straight at Daniel's nose, who closed his eyes, ready for the impact.

Instead of hitting his face the fist hit his stomach making him groan. It was softer than Daniel had expected. Meaning, the blow hurt, but he knew from experience that Johnny could make him throw up his breakfast in one punch if he tried. This time, it didn't even make him buckle under the impact. Johnny pushed him back against the wall and backed away.

“Why do you have to be such a pain in the ass?”

Then the rest of his friends burst into the bathroom. Dutch didn't wait. As soon as he saw Daniel he stepped forward and threw a kick that Daniel had to hold back with both arms. The pride of his karate reflex soon died when Dutch slammed a fist into his eyebrow, swift as a snake's strike. For a moment everything went black and he could only hear Johnny's voice as he exclaimed:

“What are you doing!?”

“No mercy, remember?”

“Oh, don't start that with me!”

Daniel's vision cleared enough to see them leave the bathroom. Bobby was the only one who stayed behind for a moment, looking at him with remorse before leaving.


	3. Chapter 3

**:**

**:**

**:**

**3.**

“You just got back to school and you're already getting into trouble," Ali murmured, running a delicate hand over the area where Dutch had hit him.

His skin felt throbbing and tender. A bruise must have formed there by now, and by the end of the day it would turn into a big purple mark on his wheat skin. He had seen himself in the mirror before leaving the bathroom and knew that the skin under his eyebrow hairs was broken with blood stains.

"What can I say? Some people don't understand my sense of humor."

Ali flashed that charming smile that made her beautiful and stroked his hair with the same hand that inspected his wound. She had the ability to be delicate and comforting despite being so young, but Daniel was too focused on the person sitting behind them to notice. He cast a nervous glance at the table behind him checking that Johnny was indeed watching them intently. His blue eyes were so intense that, despite the fact that he was not making any particular gesture, they managed to unsettle Daniel. He turned his eyes to the front in a hurry.

"You have a very unique sense of humor."

"Gosh, you sound just like my mom."


	4. Chapter 4

**:**

**:**

**:**

**4.**

“You just got back to school and you're already getting into trouble," Lucille said, venturing a gentle hand over the wounded area on Daniel's face.

The action was an exact copy of the caress Ali had given him hours before. It sent an unpleasant shiver down his spine, so he turned his head away with a click of his tongue.

“It's nothing, I bumped into a column while I was walking," he explained, heading towards his room, “You know how distracted I get, especially when I get lost in Ali's beautiful eyes.”

“Daniel, are those boys still bothering you?” asked his mother with concern.

He closed the door without answering.


	5. Chapter 5

**:**

**:**

**:**

**5.**

The bruise on his eyebrow hurt again when Daniel turned onto the main road instead of taking the quicker path to the train tracks. He had no idea if it was natural or if his own body had awakened the phantom of pain by reflex, a desperate cry to get away from that area that caused him so many bad memories, and more.

Because they were not merely bad memories: it was the source of his fears.

No teenager should feel what he experienced the closer he got to the building. The energy coursing through him was not elation, but terror and stress, the same energy one feels when under attack, the natural urge to run for safety that overtakes the weak. Along with that energy was a high-pitched noise that clouded his judgment, for something in his mind seemed to shriek. He struggled to maintain a calm appearance, sheltering himself in the notion that now that Kreese had gotten into deep trouble, there would be nothing there but an empty cave.

But he needed to make sure. He didn't understand why, but he had to. It would take him years to come to terms with the mark Cobra Kai's violence had left on his psyche.

He got out of the car and approached the window. Inside, the dojo was nothing but darkness and dust, devoid of the glory it had basked in for years. Daniel wanted to think that it was he who had managed to defeat the beast, but he knew it wasn't true. Kreese had destroyed himself. Had it not been for that, the beast would still be after him. The bruise hurt again and this time he stroked it with his fingertips, remembering that part of the monster could still get him. However, he now knew that it was not the young men who had studied there.

It was that place, that dojo, that damn Cobra Kai, that had caused it all, and now it was dead. As long as it stayed that way, Daniel would be okay. Safe.


	6. Chapter 6

:

:

:

6.

“When will I learn how to kick?” Daniel asked after half an hour of exercises aimed solely at his stance.

Building up muscle wouldn't hurt - a thought that had returned with a fury after having been so close to Johnny and resuming the bad habit of comparing their physiques that he had picked up in the early days of class - but Miyagi seemed to have other plans.

“Daniel-san already knows how to kick," replied the man calmly.

“Yes, but the crane is not the same. In a fight I can't throw that kind of kick all the time.”

“You' ve kicked enough at the tournament.”

“Yes, but my kicks were pathetic. I want to kick like..." He closed his mouth before pronouncing the name.

“Daniel-san should stop thinking about fighting," said Miyagi with that calmness that seemed eternal, throwing a meaningful look at the bruise on the boy's face, "and think more about his balance.”

Then the man gave him a quick touch that caused Daniel to stagger, having to step back so as not to fall. Had it been anyone else, Daniel would have felt embarrassment or annoyance, but with Miyagi it was impossible to feel anything like that. Everything was meant to be a lesson with the man, and Daniel could only nod, learn his master's teachings and improve.

He had only been doing karate for three months - real karate, not YMCA karate - and the last month didn't even count because his leg hadn't allowed him to do anything but train his arms and meditate. He'd have time to kick with the strength of Dutch, or the grace of Johnny.

:

:

:

7.

The next day he did it again.

It was an impulse he could not control. His brain was screaming "don't do it, don't be an idiot" but the body seemed to act on its own. So, as he drove to school the next morning and noticed Johnny in his usual spot in the parking lot, lounging against his dazzling car with a cheerful smile as his friends surrounded him, it felt like a call impossible to refuse. Dutch was not on the scene and suddenly that seemed to be the only excuse Daniel needed.

Something moved him toward the group, eager to have himself noticed.

"I'm crazy," he thought as he approached them. "I must have fallen in love with pain."

Johnny's eyes bore straight into him as he watched him approach. He drank from the soda he was holding -an unhealthy thing to do first thing in the morning- and spoke only when Daniel was within earshot.

“Are you here for more, LaRusso?

One of his friends snorted, eyeing Daniel with disdain. The only one in the group who didn't bear a similar gesture was Bobby, which served to give Daniel the wrong encouragement.

“In fact..." he started to say, but couldn't finish.

“Hi, Daniel. Would you like to come with us to class?” a voice interrupted from behind him.

He turned and saw two girls, both beautiful thanks to their makeup and fashion, smiling with interest. Daniel smiled back gawking, surprised and delighted to be the center of attention of two girls. The girls in Los Angeles, except for Ali, tended to ignore him, so it took him a few seconds to remember that he was now the champion of the Valley and that had positive consequences in certain aspects. Maybe it hadn't gotten him the respect he'd expected from the bullies who had tormented him for two months, but in the Valley karate was a big deal and now Daniel was king, no matter what. As a result, his peers were now noticing him.

“Of course," he said with a sigh and both girls laughed at his behavior.

He started to walk away flanked by the girls when he felt something hit his head. He brought his hand to the area with a soft groan and turned to see the source. A soda can had impacted against his head. He looked up and didn't need to glance at the others to know that it was Johnny who had thrown the projectile.

“You're still a loser, LaRusso," he said as soon as their eyes met.

Daniel continued on his way to the first class of the day as the girls asked him if he was okay. Instead of getting upset about the attack, he thought about how good Johnny's aim was.


	7. Chapter 7

**:**

**:**

**:**

**8.**

He was sitting at the dining room table with Ali and her friends when Johnny hit him again.

Ali was talking, as usual. In that time Daniel had discovered that despite her delicate appearance and caring personality, Ali had been the perfect complement to her ex-boyfriend. Popular, always surrounded by a group willing to listen to her every word, with two or three loyal friends who respected her, leading among the women as Johnny led among the men. It was a bit intimidating but he had learned to respect it. Ali was nice, and Daniel didn't mind being surrounded by girls. His reputation had started in a hole thanks to Johnny, there was little left for him to lose in that aspect of his school life.

At that moment Ali was sharing an anecdote about her holiday that Daniel didn't pay too much attention to, preferring to contemplate the charming way Ali smiled or blushed as she recounted the events. He had always liked expressive faces and Ali's was entertaining. It made him feel at peace and Miyagi had told him to hold on to the things that brought him peace. It was then that he felt the smack against his head. It wasn't painful, at least, but it was awkward because in the unexpectedness of the act his head was pushed forward with ease.

He turned around ready to confront the aggressor, swallowing dryly when he discovered that it was Johnny. The fury was placated, for no logical reason, when the boy smirked at him.

"Wow, LaRusso, since when did you become so popular with the ladies?"

"Oh, leave him alone, Johnny," said Ali with a reproachful frown.

"Doesn't he know how to defend himself? Are you his girlfriend or his mother?"

"Get out of here," Ali put an end to the discussion by turning her back to the boy with a dramatic movement that shook her pretty hairdo.

Johnny's eyes remained fixed on Daniel as he backed away, and the latter supposed that he must be taking in the whole scene, the way Ali was defending him or how they were sitting next to each other, and devising new ways to make him pay.

"I'm proud of you," Ali murmured after a while, squeezing his hand. "He attacked you and you kept your cool. Way to go."

Daniel couldn't explain to her that it hadn't felt like a attack. It had felt like something else. Something unspeakable.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**9.**

"Why did you break up with Johnny?" asked Daniel at the end of the day.

Ali closed the locker and gave him an incredulous look that Daniel didn't know how to interpret. Noticing it, the girl sighed.

"I already told you, didn't I?"

"You said very ambiguous things."

"He changed after he joined Cobra Kai, I told you."

"I know, I remember, but I mean... there's got to be more to it than that, right?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I don't know..." He shrugged. "I'm curious about the reasons why my arrival to California was so hellish."

Ali bit her lower lip thoughtfully.

"Okay... I guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back, really. The karate, I mean. But before that I felt..." She paused and Daniel raised his eyebrows urging her to continue, "Did you ever feel like someone was with you just because?"

"No..."

“Well, dating Johnny felt that way. Like he didn't really want to be with me but needed it to show off. I was just an ornament to show off to his friends. It was a horrible feeling. And then he became a bully, looking for excuses to fight with everyone and brag about his beloved Cobra Kai," She shook her head, remembering things she didn't like at all. "I broke up with him and vowed never again to date a guy who only wanted to prove how manly he is by having a cute girlfriend. Then I met you."

Daniel let out a nervous laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

**:**

**:**

**:**

**10.**

The doctor removed the boot and his foot felt light as a feather.

He was a free man once more and, although the doctor told him not to strain his leg and to stay still for several days, as soon as Daniel regained his mobility he began to train. Miyagi insisted that he still had some way to go before he could learn kicking techniques, so he decided to practice on his own.

His room was too small for him to throw kicks, so he had to do it in the living room, where his mother sometimes watched him with amusement and sometimes with resignation.

“You'll hurt yourself again," she would say, but Daniel turned a deaf ear to her warnings.

He suspected that Miyagi knew about his secret training although the man did not mention anything about it.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**11.**

Now that he could run again, he decided to take advantage of the weather and the beaches of Los Angeles to improve his physical condition. Miyagi had shown him how useful it was to train outdoors, using the elements of nature to his advantage, so he decided to imitate the athletes he used to watch in the evenings or on TV and cradled a morning routine.

He set the alarm clock to go off an hour earlier and went for a run.

The scene was cliché: a tanned young man running along the sand, feet in contact with the sea water, the sunrise enhancing his shadow, covering his body with the morning glow and the warmth of the first rays of sunshine.

The absence of the people who often showed up around noon to enjoy the beach was a blessing, allowing him to hear the sound of the waves, the wind and the seagulls. He was one with the sand beneath his feet, the freshness of the sea and the salty scent reaching his nostrils. He could concentrate on his breathing and endurance, just as he had when Miyagi had trained him. He had reached the point that physical exertion brought him calm, as if meditating.

That calm ended when he passed a person running in the opposite direction. He made the mistake of looking him in the face, discovering that the person passing by him was Johnny, who returned his gaze with a similar surprise, as if they were old acquaintances who hadn't seen each other in a long time. Daniel stumbled on the sand, lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Johnny's laughter exploded beside him but when Daniel was able to stand up, abashed, he saw that the boy was far away, still jogging. His concentration was higher than Daniel's and that bothered him.

He kept on jogging but now his steps were overtaken by annoyance and embarrassment, with no hint of calmness whatsoever.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**12.**

He kept up the routine, albeit for the wrong reasons.

It served to improve his endurance, to work his body, to keep his muscles active, his heart pumping, his health at its peak... And yet, he started going out expecting to cross Johnny's path once again.

It wasn't on purpose, nor could he control it. The first thing he thought about when he got out of bed was that maybe they would meet again. He tried to fight that thought but the more he fought it the more powerful it became. Likewise, there was no way to describe the anticipation that ran through him when he went for a jog, nor the disappointment at the end when he crossed paths with no more than early morning fishermen and happy dogs.

This made no sense because he would see Johnny later at school. He just... felt the overriding desire to be noticed.

He had to be the first kid in the world who wanted to be noticed by his bully.


	9. Chapter 9

**:**

**:**

**:**

**13.**

His first instinct was to gather his belongings and head for the toilets in the hallway, but then he thought of the trophy decorating his room and decided he wasn't going to hide anymore, so he marched towards the men's locker room with a firm step, ignoring the fellow students who were ignoring him as well.

Daniel had made a promise to stay away from the locker room three months earlier, in the middle of a truce with the Cobra Kai boys. You would think that having been under the truce he would have relaxed and gone about his business without worrying about those around him, but that was a mistake. The locker room was the worst. A time of real terror for boys like him. It was the place where he was most vulnerable: alone, exposed -literally and metaphorically- and surrounded by enemies. It was like diving naked into a snake pit. That's why, even under the truce, Daniel decided he didn't tolerate the locker room.

The Cobra Kai boys, though under orders to stay away from him, seemed to lurk around him, circling him with intent to attack, always following him with their eyes. Dutch was usually the most obvious, standing nearby, snorting in his ear, grinning viciously at him. And of course Johnny, who didn't bother to disguise the way his gaze followed Daniel around the room. In those days Daniel remained in a constant state of alertness, trying to change his clothes with speed, fearful of being ambushed. He had not been able to tolerate the tension and, in a silent defeat that all his classmates, Cobras and otherwise, could recognize, he had decided to use the school bathrooms to change.

That was pathetic, but he was now the new king of the Valley and he wasn't going to let himself be bent.

With determination he strode through the locker room to his designated locker, the one he hadn't used in months. He noticed the difference inside the room when compared to what he had felt two months ago: there was no constant threat in the atmosphere nor the tension of knowing that the other boys wanted to hurt him. Or, perhaps, Daniel's confidence had increased thanks to Miyagi-Do and now that he knew how to defend himself -somewhat- he didn't feel like everyone's prey. 

He felt himself being watched and when he turned his head he noticed that Johnny kept his eyes fixed on him. Refusing to allow the boy to intimidate him, Daniel began to undress, keeping his shoulders tense and his back straight, clear signs of confidence intended to show that he would stand up to Johnny if he provoked him. He ventured another glance in Johnny's direction and saw him staring at his naked torso. Daniel clicked his tongue. Yes, compared to them he was puny and skinny, but at least he was working on shaping up his body.

With his ego under threat his temper got out of control and, as usual, led him to say stupid things that would one day cost him his life.

"Want me to give you a picture? So you can admire it all day long."

He waited for Johnny to jump at him, furious at the insinuation, but to his astonishment the boy blushed and turned his back on him. That was his first victory inside the locker room. He had exerted dominion over the territory and had triumphed.

 _Long live the king of the Valley_ , he thought with a self-satisfied smile.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**14.**

Now that he could run again, he enjoyed soccer in a different way. For starters: in his head he thought of it as part of his karate training. Strengthening his legs, improving his reflexes, maintaining his endurance. Kicking the ball as if he were kicking...

He studied the faces of his classmates, boys who had ignored him since the beginning of the year and who now greeted him in the halls just because Daniel had became well-known. Guys who left him at the mercy of Cobra Kai out of disinterest or fear, who labeled him as pathetic just because on his first night there a blond karateka had kicked his ass. Guys who recognized him as Johnny Lawrence's prey and so decided he wasn't even worth talking to.

He then turned his attention to the former Cobra Kai members in particular:

Bobby, who had injured Daniel's leg in the tournament, narrowly destroying his chance of winning and completely ruining his vacation, but who had been the only one to express remorse.

Jimmy and Tommy, who had followed their leader's orders unopposed and willingly, but who had left him in peace, giving him a well-deserved break except for the occasional scornful glance.

Johnny, who was the cause of his sorrows, the one he should blame for everything bad that happened to him at school, but also the one he had defeated in the All-Valley tournament and who would possibly never have spoken to him again if Daniel had not prompted him to.

Dutch, who still despised him and beat him, more aggressive than the rest of his friends, but for whom Daniel couldn't help but feel sorry for underneath the layers of fear the boy sparked in him, because without a doubt a boy like Dutch wasn't going to have a pleasant life and, in a way, something told Daniel that his life wasn't pleasant at present either.

It was at that moment that he had a revelation. He had no desire to kick anyone. The ball at his feet was just that, a ball, and fantasizing that it was someone else's face gave him no satisfaction.

The lightness he experienced when the doctor removed the boot seemed to reach his chest. He kicked the ball because that was a game, and he felt like he finally understood what Miyagi had been telling him for the past few days.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**15**

Just because Daniel had a revelation did not mean that the rest of the world had shared his moment of enlightenment.

Daniel might feel light, happy and refreshed, proud to note that he was growing more mature every day under the wing of Miyagi's wisdom, but his peers were still searching for that path that would sooner or later lead them away from the haze of adolescence. Some of them, perhaps, would never find their way to such clarity. Therefore, while Daniel smiled serenely and thought about personal changes, Dutch approached stealthily, waited for the ball to pass close to Daniel's feet, and crouched down, blocking Daniel's path with one leg, knocking him down with a swift and precise movement.

Daniel fell face first to the ground and his jaw hit the grass. He felt pain shooting through his teeth and the voice of Dutch, who had leaned down beside him, murmuring close to his ear:

"You imply again that Johnny is a faggot, and next time I'll send you to the hospital."

The teacher blew the whistle and Dutch hurried away, raising his hands innocently as he cried, "It was an accident! I meant to hit the ball." Daniel, for his part, touched his lip, finding that it was bleeding. At the sight of the crimson drop on his finger the peace he felt moments before vanished and was instantly replaced by the anger he was familiar with. It would take more than three months of karate and a few seconds of revelations to calm the temperamental Jersey boy he had always been.

He looked up and spotted Johnny, standing several feet away among the other boys watching the scene. The neutral expression of a curious but disinterested onlooker that he wore got on his nerves, so Daniel stood up and marched towards him with a purposeful stride, allowing fury to guide his actions.

"If you have a problem, come and say it to my face!" Daniel shouted, shoving him. Johnny looked at him in surprise; the wide-open, guilt-free eyes infuriated Daniel even more. "Are you so unmanly that you need your friends to fight for you?"

Johnny tensed his jaw and responded by grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, but Daniel broke free of his grip with an automatic movement that before he would have had to calculate in order to carry out. The professor was beside them in a jiffy, blowing his whistle and ordering them to stop. There were a few seconds of calm but then Johnny shoved Daniel, hard. The professor got in the way when Daniel tried to attack him again.

“Enough! To the principal's office, both of you!” the man shouted.

Dutch's laughter was the only thing that accompanied the scene.


	10. Chapter 10

**:**

**:**

**:**

**16.**

“Detention?” Ali asked incredulously.

“Yes, detention," Daniel repeated with an exasperated sigh. When he noticed the way the girl was looking at him, he became defensive. "Don't look at me like that, it's not my fault!"

“Oh, no?”

“No!" He slammed the locker shut. “They provoked me!”

“Of course. And you just had to react, right?”

Ali shook her head in disappointment. For an instant Daniel regretted it, remembering how that morning the girl had complimented him on his self-control, but anger still kept his veins hot and he was in no mood to put up with Ali's outclassed attitude.

“Of course I had to! What, once again I'm supposed to let them bully me, push me around and hit me whenever they feel like it? Everything was supposed to be different now, everything was supposed to change after the tournament!”

Ali pursed her lips, realizing she had to drop the subject.

“What about our date?” Daniel didn't know what to say. “You forgot about it...”

“Of course not," he lied, and Ali noticed. "Look, I'm sorry, it's hard to think about dating when Johnny keeps bothering me."

"Well... you didn't do anything to provoke him, did you?”

“Of course not! He's just a jerk, that's all.”

“Right. So, another day?”

Daniel smiled, relieved.

“Absolutely.”

**:**

**:**

**:**

**17.**

Having detention used to be the worst thing in the world, before he discovered what it felt like to be a human punching bag for frustrated, confused and angry kids. 

For starters, in addition to enduring the teachers' lecture he had to listen to his mother's reprimands. Secondly, he had to spend more time at school. In fact, he had to waste an entire Saturday - to spend time at school. And finally, there was nothing to do. At least in Jersey he had friends to keep him company, this time he would be alone with Johnny and a boy who, as soon as he entered the detention room, plopped down on the desk with his head in his arms.

“Listen, this is as annoying to me as it is to you," said the teacher in charge. His tired eyes and dejected face confirmed his words. "Just... behave yourselves and don't make a fuss. I'll be back every ten minutes to check on you. In the meantime, I want you to write a 200-word essay on why what you did was wrong," he said and left.

Daniel snorted.

“What does he think this is? The Breakfast Club?”

Johnny, sitting two desks to his left, smiled in amusement but quickly turned the gesture into a grumpy one.

“You're an idiot, LaRusso.”

“What? What did I do?”

"'What did you do'? Really? Because of you I'm gonna waste a Saturday sitting here like a loser!"

"You started it! You send your friends to beat me up and expect me to sit idly by?!"

Johnny leaned over the desk as if shortening twelve inches between them would prove him right.

“I didn't tell Dutch to hurt you. Didn't it occur to you that maybe I'm not the only one who wants to hit you?”

“He did it on your account.”

“Well, then it's his problem! He thought he had to defend me, that's what friends do. You'd understand if you had any.”

Daniel tried to think of something witty or hurtful to rebut but couldn't. Johnny wasn't mistaken and, besides, what he was saying made sense. It was not unthinkable that Johnny's friends, loyal as henchmen at times, would act to defend him without the boy in question asking for it.

The rest of the detention elapsed in silence, occasionally interrupted by the teacher peeking through the door to check that no one was breaking the rules and then leaving again with speed. Daniel was contemplating the sheet of paper he had placed on the desk. At first he had intended to complete the essay requested by the teacher, but instead of writing he had started to draw karate poses. He didn't have the skill of an artist but it was entertaining. The sound of paper being torn reached his ears from the left. He slyly shot a glance at Johnny, who was assembling paper balls and tossing them to the back of the room, smiling each time the projectile hit the target. Daniel looked back to see that his victim was the boy who had arrived last and had not moved for the entire hour. The papers Johnny threw at him bounced off his head, arms and back, but the boy was oblivious.

“He really did fall asleep," Daniel muttered.

Johnny gave him a reserved look and a shrug before tossing the last ball of paper he had on hand.

“Give me your sheet," he demanded.

Ignoring him, Daniel stood up and stealthily approached the sleeping boy. He leaned over and blew on the ear peeking out from between brown curls, getting no response. He looked back at Johnny and whispered:

“Bring me a marker.”

Johnny's lips quirked into a beaming smile and, delighted with the idea, he reached for two markers before approaching him as well.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**18.**

Lucille looked him up and down as soon as she saw him walk through the door, then stood up and put up her arms like a jug.

“Detention is supposed to serve as a punishment, not something to make you come home looking so happy," she said.

Daniel tried to hide the smile only to find it was impossible. He and Johnny had turned the unsuspecting fellow classmate's skin into a canvas for twenty minutes. They had traced lines, letters and drawings on every visible part of the face and arms; then, when they had run out of space, they gently maneuvered the boy so they could access the rest of his face letting out low chuckles every time they thought he was going to wake up. Eventually he did and both Daniel and Johnny let out guffaws when they saw the look on the boy's face as he noticed what had been done to him.

“You're both assholes!” he shouted angrily.

His brow was furrowed in anger and his fists were clenched, but he didn't dare do anything. He was facing two karate champions, after all. Then the teacher had walked in. Fleeting was the worry they felt, for after a moment the man's tired eyes filled with amusement and he burst into laughter.

Daniel smiled again at the memory, and his mother joined him.

“It's good to see you happy," she said.


	11. Chapter 11

**:**

**:**

**:**

**19.**

He resigned himself to the fact that his path would never again cross Johnny's during his morning jog.

That had been a rare occurrence, something that would only happen once and never again. Or maybe Johnny had decided to change his schedule so as not to bump into Daniel before class. That was the most likely answer. And also the most disappointing, somehow.

So he kept running focused on the initial goal: training.

Of course, as soon as he gave up the disconcerting hope of seeing Johnny jogging in the mornings, golden hair tousled and body illuminated by the light of dawn, that's when he saw him again. Because that was how life worked.

After running non-stop for minutes he stopped his gait and bent his torso to stretch his legs. Someone came running up from behind and Daniel looked up as the person passed him. There was Johnny again, turning his head to look at him as he ran past.

"Watch your feet!" Daniel shouted at him before he got too far away.

Johnny faced forward again and held up a hand to show his middle finger. Daniel laughed, his heart excited for nothing. He bit his lower lip trying to control the tingle that threatened to run through his entire body and went back to his training, satisfied now that one of his goals had been accomplished.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**20.**

His school life didn't change much.

Some people now greeted him, and during the first week several boys came up to ask about the trophy and what it felt like to be the champion while several girls gave him fleeting smiles and flirtations. But then they went back to ignoring him and it all ceased to matter. It wasn't so bad, he tried to look on the bright side: he was no longer ignored as an outcast, he was just ignored because he hadn't managed to fit in with any group, so no one felt the need to include him or speak to him any more than was required. It was the younger students and children of Reseda who admired him the most, oblivious to the daily beatings Daniel had received and which had buried him under the status of a loser.

At least he had Ali. Although it would be better if it could be just them and no one else. Daniel could pretend he didn't see the looks Ali's friends gave him, but he'd have to be blind not to notice the way the gestures turned exasperated and jaded when Ali beckoned him with a hand from their usual table in the cafeteria. He kept a smile on his face, willing himself to notice Ali's kindness and no one else. It was the only way to survive in that school.

It showed his improved reflexes that he was able to dodge the foot that suddenly crossed his path without a problem. He reflexively jumped it, momentarily confused by the disturbance. His gaze went from being fixed on Ali to focusing on Johnny, sitting at the table that Daniel was walking past, smirking mockingly at him.

"Watch your feet," Johnny said, and there was a hint of mischief in his smile.

The boys sitting with him laughed too, although their laughter was uncertain and forced. They didn't know what Johnny's words were hiding underneath nor did they understand the humor in the comment but the only intention they had was to humiliate Daniel, who alternated his gaze between all of them not knowing what to say. He opted to go on his way, feeling pleased but self-conscious at the joke Johnny had played on him in public. A joke that only the two of them understood.

“What did they want?” asked Ali as soon as Daniel sat down next to her.

“Ah, nothing, just to annoy me.”

“Didn't you kick Lawrence in the face at the tournament last time?” asked one of Ali's friends in a dismissive tone, "Why do you let them pick on you?”

“My karate is not meant for violence," Daniel explained.

The clarification did not seem to increase the esteem Ali's friends felt for him. There was disbelief, confusion and exasperation among the faces around him, but at least Ali was there.

**:**

**:**

**:**

**21.**

“Daniel!”

Daniel turned at the mention of his name. Bobby was approaching him down the hallway; at the sight of him, Daniel instinctively backed away, then tensed his muscles ready to defend himself. He scanned the surroundings looking for the other boys who usually accompanied him but didn't see Dutch, Jimmy or Johnny anywhere. That didn't mean they weren't in the immediate vicinity, waiting. In the few seconds it took Bobby to catch up with him, Daniel imagined several scenarios that would justify any reason why the boy was speaking to him, none of which were pleasant.

“How are you?" asked Bobby when he was beside him.

“Uhm, fine.”

“Can I join you?”

“Do I have a way to stop you?”

Bobby laughed, deciding to take the comment as a joke. Daniel watched him out of the corner of his eye, heading towards Biology class with his guard up, waiting for Dutch to grab him from behind some corner and shove him against the wall.

“Listen, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Talk? Sure, I love talking," Daniel replied nervously; it was rare not to be alone or with Ali. "Although it depends on what kind of talk you want, you know? If you want to talk about the weather, go ahead, I'm all ears, but if you're looking for a chat with my fists I'm afraid you're going to have to make an appointment. I'm on a tight schedule and all that, you understand.”

Bobby raised an eyebrow, at a loss. He scratched the back of his neck trying to decide how to respond to all that. Daniel had grown too accustomed to Ali, who solved the dilemma in the simplest of ways: a gentle laugh and move on.

“That's what I wanted to talk about, now that you mention it. About everything that happened... I'm really sorry. I never apologized the right way. Is there any chance you can forgive me?”

That took Daniel by surprise.

“Uhm... of course? I mean, I don't hold any grudges, if that's what you're worried about.”

“Cool! And I'm sorry about the other day too... I don't know what's going on with Johnny, he said he wasn't going to bother you anymore. I guess he forgot.”

Daniel pursed his lips. Maybe Johnny had meant it, and if Daniel hadn't arrived carrying an ego bigger than his shoulders and hadn't provoked him, then Johnny would never have spoken to him again in his life. It was a curious thought, knowing that as soon as the year was over they would never see each other again.

“And I can't justify Dutch," Bobby continued, "he was always the brute.”

“Look, I appreciate what you're doing, but you can't apologize on behalf of your friends."

"No, no, of course not," They stopped at the entrance to the biology classroom. "It's not like that, I just don't want you to think they're bad people. They're just... confused.” Daniel gave him an incredulous sneer and Bobby stirred on the spot. "Hey, one other thing. I'm celebrating my birthday this Tuesday and I thought you might like to come, what do you say?”

"Oh, so that's what this is all about," said Daniel, sensing the trap. "You're looking to save money and you want me to go as a piñata, right?" 

"No way," Bobby replied, offended. "I'm serious. I think if you spend some time with the boys in a quiet place you guys could get along just fine. It's my birthday, I make the rules."

Daniel had really gone crazy, because he believed him.

“I'll think about it.”

Bobby was pleased with the answer. He patted Daniel on the shoulder and made his way into the classroom, heading for the table he shared with Johnny, who was watching the exchange with a frown on his face.


End file.
